Wang Anshi introduced Green Sprouts, Service Exemption, and Market Exchange laws to strengthen state finances, provoking fierce disputes over implementation and power.
The structural illness of Northern Song's accumulated weakness deepened, and the Liao and Western Xia in the north repeatedly produced military pressure. On ascension Emperor Shenzong resolved to reform outside the norm, to enrich the country and strengthen the military, and save society from crisis.
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Epochal Overview
, with Shenzong's full support, implemented a series of state-intervention economic measures including the Green Sprouts Law, the Service Exemption Law, and the Market Exchange Law. He sought through state intervention in commerce to curb the powerful and expand the treasury's revenue.
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Civilizational Impact
The reforms greatly increased the Northern Song court's fiscal and military reserves but also for poor execution sparked fierce factional split that severely shook social foundation. It is humanity's earliest exploration of financial intervention.
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Key Figures
was a great reform-pioneer of paramount tenacity, holding that weather changes are not enough to fear and ancestors' law is not enough to follow. Emperor Shenzong was the political backer Bo Le emperor; was the leader of the conservative camp.
